The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s major English-language daily, recently launched a pretty interesting micro-site “Who Runs HK.” It’s an interactive tool for visualizing connections between people and organizations in Hong Kong. The tool is based on a database of roughly 4,000 of the most “influential” people in Hong Kong and nearly 2,000 businesses. individuals were selected based on personal wealth, board memberships and political positions and appointments. The top 50 companies by market capitalization as well as those listed on the Hang Seng Index were included, as well as subsidiaries, when possible. It all leads to a very interesting web of connections that anyone is free to explore.
I was fortunate to have been involved in the research and development of this project, which served not only as a great lesson in computer-assisted reporting but a fantastic introduction to politics and power in Hong Kong. The SCMP plans to continue to update the project so be sure to check it out take a look at just who really runs Hong Kong!